France captain Mbappe: Griezmann’s frustration ‘understandable’
Kylian Mbappethe main role of France the captain will be the one to link the old and new generations of players in the squad, Paris Saint-Germain Forward said Thursday in his first press conference since getting the job.
Mbappe was elected as France captain instead Hugo Lloris on Tuesday after the 36-year-old goalkeeper announced his retirement from the national team in January.
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The 24-year-old Mbappe was assigned a specific task by coach Didier Deschamps.
“He wanted me to be the unifying person, to bring the team with him. I am the thread connecting the generations,” Mbappe said.
“I’m the captain of my country, that’s something you can’t hide from. It’s a new responsibility. I’ll take it on naturally, it won’t change the way I play, but it might. is how I behave.”
Mbappe said vice captain Antoine Griezmann was disappointed by this decision. The 32-year-old forward is a long-serving Deschamps player, making his debut for the national team in 2014.
“It was an expected reaction. I told him I would have the same reaction,” Mbappe said.
“He’s probably the most important player in the Deschamps era. I’m not his superior.
“He and I will work side by side to try to allow his team to impose themselves on a global level. If he has something to say to the group, I will sit down and listen.”
Mbappe, who has capped 66 times and played a key role in the team’s 2018 win World Cup campaign and their runner-up in 2022, said he would be different from Lloris.
“I don’t think the coach named me captain because he thought I would do the same thing as Hugo,” he said.
Mbappe’s first game as captain will be on Friday as France face Netherlands at the Stade de France in their opening Euro 2024 qualifying match. They play Ireland away on Monday.